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Things you didn’t expect about living in a hotel

For three months my family and I lived at The St Regis hotel, Mumbai. When the idea first came up everyone told me I would get bored of the same room, they said it would become cramped and that I should probably rent an apartment instead. I ignored them all.

If there’s one thing I have learned about myself it’s that I absolutely could, absolutely, live in a hotel forever.

The outstanding level of luxury naturally helped, not having to change your own bedsheets or cook has its pretty obvious advantages, but aside from the obvious I made some unexpected discoveries

Here are some things might not expect from living in a hotel…

Other people live there – full time, like it’s actually their home.

The St Regis is particularly spectacular. It’s 5 star and known for its incredible butler service, however it’s not just the St. Regis where you will discover massive serviced apartments on the upper floors and people who have called it home…for years. In Mumbai I met a lady who’d been living in one of the hotels apartments for 3 years and a gentleman who’d been living in a normal hotel room for five! Neither of them planned to leave. Most hotels will have a regular for one reason or another and I’m insanely envious of those who’ve been smart enough to make a luxury hotel their full time home.

Everyone is getting married – all the time!

My first week at the hotel saw a wedding every single day. I found it incredible how the grand ballroom transformed into another brides dream each night and loved to watch the staff rushing round the thousands of beautifully dressed guests. Sometimes hotels have more than one wedding a day and carefully time manage the events to perfection so one bridal party ever crosses paths with the other. I thought it must have been wedding season but no…three months later there were still daily weddings, everyday a new couple attempting to make their day as unique as possible. In my life people don’t often get married, there’s a flurry around summertime but that’s about it. When you live in a hotel you quickly realise how many weddings happen. Speaking to a top London hotel wedding planner upon my return I explained how surprised I was and asked if this is also the case in the uk. Absolutely – she replied, The daily weddings become a cookie cutter formula for them, they just change the bride and groom.

Despite having a 24hour gym you will put on weight.

No amount of working out or swimming can balance out a spectacular buffet breakfast DAILY for three months. It’s the hardest place to be disciplined. I managed to persuade myself that breakfast is the one meal where you can eat what you like and therefore ate everything. I’ve never met a hotel resident who can be disciplined at breakfast. At the St Regis breakfast is served in their Seven kitchens restaurant. It’s aptly named as it actually has seven open kitchens all serving different styles of divine breakfasts. Resistance is futile.

You will miss the staff…a lot.

Hotel staff are almost invisible whilst simultaneously present. St. Regis have this nailed. The staff never bother you and if you want a quiet day it’s easy to feel like you’re in private. Yet when you want company they’re right there with you. I knew I’d miss the staff I’d befriended over my time there but I had no idea quite how much.